CHANGE, CONFLICT AND/OR INTOLERANCE

News items during 2006-September

Events:

2006-SEP-03: 112 states: AZ to DC: A group called "Crosswalk America" started walking at Phoenix, AZ on APR-16,
and ended in Washington DC on SEP-03. They are progressive Christians who were publicizing what they refer to as the 'Phoenix
Affirmations:'

Christians must have an openness to other faiths

Christians must care for the earth and its ecosystem.

Christians must value artistic expression in all its forms.

Christians must welcome and include all persons.

Christians must oppose the co-mingling of Church and State.

Christians must seek peace and end systemic poverty.

Christian must promote the values of rest and recreation, prayer and reflection.

Christians must embrace both faith and science

In the words of Episcopal Bishop J.S. Spong:

"Their desire was to turn the present course of Christianity in America away from its divisive pro-war, anti-female,
anti-gay public face, where those who disagree are relegated to an emotional status somewhere between being excommunicated
and burned at the stake, to a religion identified with the words 'love' and 'inclusion.' In every community entered across this
nation, these walkers went to the local churches, identified themselves and shared their message. They worshiped in all kinds
of settings, deliberately including the most fundamentalist. One was called 'The Jesus Baptist Church' in Springerville,
Texas, that stated publicly their belief in the inerrancy of the Bible and the sinfulness of homosexuality, but they also
worshiped in a Metropolitan Community Church in New Mexico, that was organized just for homosexual people who had been
forced out of their churches by religious and biblical prejudice." 3

2006-SEP-06: DC: Intolerance by Protestant chaplains at Jesuit university: According to LifeSite News:

"University campuses are increasingly becoming the flashpoints of the
battle over freedom of religious expression. The latest battle is at
Washington’s prestigious Georgetown University, a Jesuit school with a
long list of illustrious alumni, where the campus protestant chaplains
have ousted a group of 'conservative' Christian organizations with no
explanation." More information

2006-SEP-13: USA: Navy chaplain convicted of saying prayer:
Navy chaplain Lt. Gordon James Klingenschmitt was convicted of a misdemeanor
because he wore his uniform while delivering a prayer "in Jesus' name"
at a gathering in front of the White House. It was held on 2006-MAR-30 to
protest a new Navy policy that allows sectarian prayers to be given by
chaplains only during worship services. So, for example, they could conclude
a prayer at a Christian service with the phrase "in Jesus' name." However,
chaplains are restricted to non-sectarian prayers outside of worship
services in order to avoid offending non-Christians in the audience.
Klingenschmitt had previously obtained written permission to wear his
uniform at religious services. But the court appears to have considered the
gathering to be other than a worship service.

He said:

"I do respect the verdict of my peers. I am a humble man and respect
the authority of the jury. I do not respect the authority of the
military judge who declared worshipping in public is not the same as
public worship." 2

2006-SEP-16: Portugal: Referendum on abortion likely:
Eight years ago, adults in this predominately Roman Catholic country very narrowly voted to continue to criminalize abortion.
The vote was 50.07% in favor. The ruling Socialist party and the opposition Social Democrates have tentatively decided to hold
another referendum in 2007-JAN. The final decision will be made by the president. Alberto Martins, spokesperson for the Socialists
said that his party would "really fight for the right to abortion, to end legislation it considers socially unjust and
which it sees as a disgrace for Portugal in terms of a modern European country". Nuno Melo, spokesperson for the
Christian Democrats said: "We are opposed to a liberalisation of abortion as a matter of principle. Proposals like this
are not going to make us shift our position. Do not expect a change of heart from the Christian Democrats in parliament on
this."4

2006-SEP-21: Ireland: Court orders blood transfusion against woman's will: Ms. K, an African woman aged 23, from the
Congo gave birth at the Coombe women's hospital in Dublin. The baby is doing fine, but the mother started to hemorrhage very badly.
She allegedly lost 80% of her blood. She is a Jehovah's Witness and refused a blood translation. The hospital applied to a the High
Court of Ireland which ordered that a transfusion be given. More info.

2006-SEP-24:Conservative Christian leaders meet to discuss
election strategy: The Family Research Council held a "Values
Voters Summit" in Washington.

James C. Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, referring to
Fundamentalist and other Evangelical Christians said: "There is
disillusionment out there with Republicans...That worries me greatly."

Representative Mike Pence, (R-IN) speculated that: "maybe losing
the Republican majority would teach us a lesson and get our movement
back on track."

Paul Weyrich of the Free Congress Foundation said: "At the
grass roots, among ordinary people, the enthusiasm is not there, and
unless that changes in the next five or six weeks, the Republicans
aren’t going to make it." i.e. the Republicans will not retain
control of Congress.

Connie Marshner distributed a guide during a workshop. It suggested
obtaining church directories, phoning up members, and posing as a
nonpartisan pollster. Some attendees, including Tony Perkins, president
of the Family Research Council and The Rev. Barry W. Lynn,
executive director Americans United for Separation of Church and
State, a liberal group, objected to such deceptive tactics.

A common theme at the meeting is that legal recognition of SSM
could limit the ability of religious group to proclaim SSM as a sin. It
is not clear how this could limit freedom of expression which is
guaranteed by the First Amendment. Rev. Donald Wildmon, founder of the
American Family Association suggested that
same-sex marriage (SSM) is: "... an issue that wasn’t around two
years ago and one that is absolutely moving to the very forefront."
Perkins of the Family Research Council showed a commercial to be
shown in October on Christian networks. He urges that religious
conservatives: "Get involved as the Lord leads before religious
liberty is lost forever."

The Rev. Jerry Falwell, founder of the Moral Majority,
speculated that Senator Hillary Clinton might become the Democratic
presidential candidate in 2008. He said that her nomination would arouse
even more evangelical opposition than Lucifer's nomination would. The
audience laughed. 5

2006-SEP-27: Germany: Opera cancelled for
security reasons: Kirsten Harms, director of Berlin's Deutsche
Oper, announced "with great regret" that the production of
Mozart's "Idomeneo" opera will be terminated after a three year run. State
security officials had stated that one scene in the opera could provoke a
violent reaction from some Muslims. She said that her decision involved
weighing " ... artistic freedom and freedom of a theater ... against the
question of security for people's lives." The scene was added by
producer Hans Neuenfels. It shows King Idomeneo presenting the severed heads
of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea, Mohammed, Jesus and Buddha. Neuenfels
said that the scene is a protext against "any form of organized religion
or its founders." He refused to modify the scene. Reaction varied:

Some politicians regarded the decision as "crazy" or as "a fatal
signal" of caving into extremism.

Some in the German Islamic community praised the decision; others
suggested that Muslims should accept the concept of freedom of speech in
art.

Kenan Kolat, leader of the Turkish community in Germany said: "This
is about art, not about politics. We should not make art dependent on
religion -- then we are back in the Middle Ages."

Klaus Wowereit, mayor of Berlin, said: "Our ideas about openness,
tolerance and freedom must be lived on the offensive. Voluntary
self-limitation gives those who fight against our values a confirmation
in advance that we will not stand behind them."

Bernd Neumann, the federal government's top cultural official, said
that "problems cannot be solved by keeping silent. ... When the
concern over possible protests leads to self-censorship, then the
democratic culture of free speech becomes endangered." 6

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References used:

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essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.